The Promised Queen and The Bastard King
by ShipperBody
Summary: They both came from the south to live a good life at the North, one as a ward and the other as bastard. They didn't imagine their faith to cross paths, but it did and soon enough they sought out they were meant to be. Alternate Universe - Jon x Daenerys; a little of Robb x Daenerys.
1. Introduction

**Disclaimer: A Song of Ice and Fire belongs to George R. R. Martin. I'm just a fan and I own nothing.**

 **Well, I'm not so sure as how things will develop, since I'm in my last semester in College, right now in vacation, but I really enjoyed how this chapter turned out and I really want to keep posting.**

 **This chapter is just an introduction to this AU, a Ned's POV during, well, Robert's Rebellion and him learning the meaning of becoming a father and how Catelyn reacted - because I haven't read any fic or anything talking about this moment of their lives. So, hope you'll like it and I'm waiting for some enouragement because it's really hard to right a fic about A Song of Ice and Fire.**

 **Good Reading :3**

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Lord Stark fastened his way through the gates of King's Landing towards the Red Keep, wearing his armour neck down, his face showing so Robert's knights would let him pass and no one else would threaten to kill the great warrior, known of winning way too many battles for his young age. His horseshoe's clinked soundly over the cobblestones as he went down and up the alleys; citizens hidden in their houses, barely watching from the cracks in their windows the invasion of King's Landing about to end - since the world of prince Rhaegar Targaryen's chest smashed with Robert Baratheon's axe was spreading quickly.

He went through the Septum Sanctuary, his ebony hair winding all over his face, a frown between the dark eyebrows outstanding the slightly tanned pale skin, not used to the stuffy air of the south country. Deep stone grey eyes storming the reflection of many thoughts inside his head - finding Lyanna at the tower, her last request and the hardest he could ever keep, her death and the fact he couldn't mourn for his younger sister's death _yet_ , a baby boy he had to take back home and what his lovely lady Catelyn would say when she found out, another baby boy waiting for him back home, in Winterfell… Robert's fury against the Targaryen's driving his Usurper friend insane as he took his time to arrive the Red Keep…

 _Focus, Ned!_ He told himself, grinding his teeth and yelling so the horse would lope faster _You have two little kids to rescue before Robert do some stupid thing!_

And soon enough he entered the Red fortress, that used to be the Targaryen's precious household - where many Dragon's skeletons laid and composed the huge castle of many high towers and dungeons. When he got to the Iron Throne parlour he saw Jaime Lannister, once a knight of the King's Guard, sitting the throne and the Mad King, Aerys Targaryen, lay dead at the stairs, a broken smile in his creased face. The young Sor Jaime, of golden locks, cream skin and emerald green orbs, glanced up towards Eddard Stark, his gold armour glistering towards the northerner and Ned knew that he betrayed the man he served - once a dishonorable man, there were little to none possibilities of becoming a trustworthy man again.

Ned straightened his stance and furrowed his eyes to the Lannister standing form the Iron Throne slowly, almost filling ashamed to sit in the one thousand swords throne.

" _Kingslayer_." he greeted the knight and Jaime glanced the galleries way as an answer.

"You better run if you're to save someone today, _my Lord_." he said the last words briskly and stepped down the throne as Ned went backwards "The Usurper's men might've gotten to the Targaryen children already."

The lord didn't think twice before leaving the kingslayer behind and quickening his steps through the galleries towards the place the kids were. He could listen to some baby's cry through the corridors and many feet hitting the stone floors as he climbed the stairs,lighters steps seemed to be faster than the other followed shortly with armour's clanking and he figured the Targaryen boy was running for his life with the baby in arms. Ned only hoped to reach them first before Robert's soldiers would rip off the boy's head and throw the baby through the first window they went through.

Then he heard clashing of swords and many men screaming in pain. There was someone protecting the Targaryen children and he had to be careful not to die also. He got to the fourth floor of one of the high Towers, grabbing the scabbard of his heavy sword and skulking close to the walls, attentive to the sounds coming from the left corridor where he listened to a throat being slipped and a very angry man shouting them to back off.

Once he showed himself in fighting stance he saw Sor Barristan Selmy fighting five of the Usurper's soldiers and almost getting himself killed to protect the heirs of the realm he swore to give his life upon many years ago when he designed to become the Commander of the King's Guard. Ned intervened right away, yelling to the men who saw him and stood confused for the Stark not obliging to the Baratheon's commands.

"Stop this nonsense, all of you!" the Lord Stark commanded furious to see such a thing and Sor Barristan stood in his fighting stance, recovering his breath "Are you here, full grown man, to kill innocent children in Robert's demand?" most of them seemed to be ashamed soon after the northman started to talk some sense into them "They are children, for the love of the Gods!"

"Our King commands us to give him their heads!" the leader answered boldly to Ned and the brunette frowned to his reply "The King has whatever he wants!"

"Our King is mourning right now. He hasn't thought thoroughly this nonsense!" Sor Barristan, the knight, only glanced at them, not moving a muscle, still feeling the threat from all of them.

"Are you denying your King's orders?" Ned rolled his eyes to the man and walked over him, the other men kept their swords back on their belts and the leader grimmed over them "You're all a shame to your King!"

"Nobody is killing children today." Ned warned all of them and the other man obliged to his orders, but the leader.

The other man grabbed the leader and dragged him down the corridor, back to the stairs so they would go back to their horses and tell King Robert about Lord Eddard's orders, because Ned had already commanded them to do so. He could deal with Robert later. He had to secure the safety of this children right now.

"Sor Barristan, the Bold." the lord of Winterfell greeted the knight protector of the realm and bowed his head, putting his sword away and Barristan barely lightened his stance over Eddard's figure "I'm not here to hurt these children."

"Lord Eddard Stark. Way young to protect the north." Ned rose his eyebrows slightly.

"I didn't have much of choice." Barristan nodded and straightened his back "Please, let me take them with me to a safer place. They'll be in danger for anyone inside this Keep."

"I can't let you take them, my Lord. I sworn a vow to their House and I'll keep it until I die." Ned agreed.

"Enough deaths for now, sor. You can come along to protect them, if you must. I give you my word that they will be safe and sound."

"How can I trust a man who serves the man that killed and usurped this children heritage?" Barristan tightened his wise eyes to look inside Ned's soul, searching for something that would give his true intentions away.

"I guess you'll have to deal with my bare words, then." and he strained his hand towards the knight to close their deal.

After time passed as a thousand of minutes inside Eddard's head, the knight finally put away his sword and shook the lord's hand, trusting carefully in his words and the quotes of many men he met his entire life about northerners: they honor their promises.

The knight who was trusted by the older boy, about ten years old, knocked on the door and told them there was nothing to be afraid anymore. The baby stopped crying because fell asleep and the door creaked open, heavy and trailing over the stone floor. The boy had lilac orbs sinking behind tears and silver blonde tangled hair growing longer then his ears height, a frown as his small and trembling frail body. The baby he held to get inside the room laid under the table, where he found more protected to hide his little sister and Ned had his heart ache over the scene.

"My prince." said Barristan as kneeling to the boy "I'm here with Lord Eddard Stark" the boy looked frightened over Ned and the knight continued talking "To take you and princess Daenerys to a safer place, for your protection."

"I-I can't…" the boy was bumbling over his words, looking down and trying to dry his tears "I can't leave here." and he sobbed again "This is my home, my castle. I won't leave." he had a temper, Ned could notice. But then, before the lord could say anything else, the boy fell in tears, hugging sor Barristan "They killed my mother, sor!" and Eddard found himself in mourning again, but he remembered about the girl lying under the table and entered the room, to get the baby in his arms.

As sor Barristan eased the boy, prince Viserys, Eddard learned few minutes later, he grabbed the girl from the cold floor and cradled her, looking at how small she was in his grown man's hands. Her peach pale skin and the silver in her hair were very odd to him, specially in a baby. But she was indeed a beautiful newborn infant. There was a moment when she barely opened her eyes to yawn and Ned met the most sparkling violet eyes he's ever seen his entire life.

"Lord Stark." Sor Barristan claimed for the northman to look back at him, startling him for he was too lost in those infant's eyes "We're ready to leave." he strided towards Eddard to grab the baby, but Ned denied.

"I can take her. You go on ahead, you know better this place then I, anyways." Sor Barristan was hesitant, but he followed Ned's orders.

Prince Viserys muttered some more words after they left the room, but Ned couldn't care enough to listen to them. He was much enchanted by the princess to care about anything else, even though he knew he had to take care of the children.

And it all happen too fast for him to do anything. They were walking down the stairs, passing through the second floor. Sor Barristan was ahead of them and Prince Viserys in the middle of the grown man.

When Barristan climbed down two steps and Ned stood four behind them, holding his sword in his right hand, Viserys was dragged in once through his frail arm and yelled. Eddard tightened his grip in Daenerys and Sor Barristan almost fell over the stairs, but managed to climb the two steps and enter the door to the second floor. Lord Stark followed shortly watching as the leader of Robert's men now held Viserys through his hair down the corridor in a race, his little body drawn over the rough stones and he was screaming in pain and fear.

"LET HIM GO!" Barristan ordered as he ran towards the man, but it was already too late.

Once the leader stopped dragging the children, he raised Viserys to his little toes from his hair and stopped his sword over the prince's slim neck, uttering "For King Robert Baratheon, first of his name!" and his blade went through the prince's neck, dividing the small head of the Targaryen child from his body falling nimb on the floor and Ned didn't know what to do.

Barristan Selmy was already on his way to stick his large sword through the man's throat shortly after the startled and frozen lifeless face of Viserys hanged in his hands and Robert's men were behind Ned, as astonished and trying to get to him. Obviously, all of them have failed and, now, Daenerys Targaryen was the last heir to the realm.

…

"You disobeyed my orders, Ned! How dare you?!" the dark haired king of bright and furious blue eyes yelled from his bed and shrieking in pain, touching the bandages over his abdomen where prince Rhaegar had injured him. King Robert, the Usurper, was very handsome and very big, but didn't seem that strong under Ned's orbs as lying down in his royal bed to recover. He was as human as anyone he knew and he was his friend. Ned had the moral duty to tell him whenever Robert was being insane and now was the time.

"You've succeed half of your order, your Grace." Eddard sighed disappointed at his friend's achievement "And you have the boy's head, already."

"Not a boy to me! A _dragonspawn_!" he spit in the nearer bailer "And you protected that _thing_ …" he said in contempt.

"A baby girl, barely the size of your hand, Robert." Ned replied and Robert snorted "What honor is in killing children, your Grace?"

"They'll grow up and come after the Throne, Ned! They're a threat to MY reign!" Robert wanted to sit at the bed, but he couldn't. The meistre stood beside his bed holding him down and preparing a cup of milk of the poppy to cease his pain and put him to rest "GET RID OF IT NOW!" the meistre told the King to calm down or he would open his stitches again.

"What if I guarantee you, your Grace, that she won't come after your throne?" Ned wondered and Robert wrinkled his nose in anger "Listen to me, Robert. Do you really want your reputation as the Babyslayer King? You've just conquered the Seven Kingdoms, you cannot allow yourself to think this irrational. Everyone already knows you killed the Targaryen Princes and the King was taken down by Jaime Lannister. Rest from your hunt to the Targaryens and enjoy your reign." Robert was more wary to Ned's words, so Lord Stark continued his speech "Let me take the girl to the north along my bastard. I'll raise her there and she'll never feel the desire to overthrow you, your Grace."

"How can you promised something like that, Ned?" Robert questioned having the milk of the poppy, too tired of feeling pain and of that conversation.

"Have I ever lied to you?" Robert had the ghost of a smile cross his lips and Ned knew that meant he allowed it "You won't regret it, your Grace. I'll assure you that."

"Take it, Ned. But, just so you know…" before falling asleep, Robert could threaten the princess once again "If I hear she has the same eyes of her father, I'll march to Winterfell with my bannermen to behead her myself right in front of you, just like her brother."

Eddard wouldn't let it happen, because from all the things he's seen from the infant's violent sparkling eyes, there was no insanity. Only greatness and he could swore she would be an incredible woman once she was fully grown.

…

He's eyes were so hard and grey Ned could've sworn the became black at some point as he admired the baby boy he brought from the south to his home, Winterfell, and the hair was as dark as his own, his infant face as worried as any Stark that Ned himself couldn't see through it.

The carriage shook a lot while he held the small baby who would soon be called a bastard as soon as they arrived his land. There were two handmaidens taking care of the children he brought to Winterfell and an older lady nurse to attend and put some order inside the carriage as they fed the children and took care of them.

Ned didn't ride the entire time with them, so once he could have some time with the babies, he would enjoy it as much as possible, since he had to take care of everything else on his own until they arrived. It was very difficult, but he was getting used and liking the idea of being a father. And he could barely wait to meet his own baby boy once he get to Winterfell, his beloved auburn haired lady Catelyn and her soft blue eyes.

Baby Snow weeped in his arms and he came back to the little boy in his arms, smiling and rocking him from side to side.

"My Lord." the lady nurse called to Eddard and he glanced up on her, she had a soft smile in her lips "He needs a name." one of the handmaidens was asleep and the other fed Daenerys "How would you like to name him?"

Ned sneered a laughter, not letting it reverberate to scare the babies "I have no idea. He has this worried face, but he has no worries at all right now." the women laughed inside "He's a bastard, though. He'll have something to worry about as soon as he starts to understand what people talk about him." he muttered suddenly becoming dreary. The lady nurse nodded agreeing with him.

"He needs a strongman's name, then."

Eddard started to think about all the strong men he had ever met his entire life and had the pleasure to fight alongside or against them, he was very able to admit a man's strength and fighting ability. He couldn't help a faint smile curving his lips as he remembered his lord father, Rickard, and his older brother, Brandon. None of their names seemed to fit the worried face of baby Snow as far as he recalled all their deeds.

He then travelled farther with his mind. There was his friend and King Robert, of course, but he couldn't picture that baby as close as his friends deeds - not at all; and he had all the courageous men going through his head… There was no one he could think about.

 _Not even Jon…_ and when he thought of Jon Arryn, a man he took as his own father and a close friend, hand of the King, baby Snow moved in his lap and Ned glanced at him. He raised one eyebrow "Jon…?" he called out to the baby and the infant let a very cute smile form in his lips. Ned chuckled softly, delighted by that sign "Hello there, Jon Snow…" and little Jon smiled even with his worrisome eyes and lips "Look at him, Lady Nurse. He likes Jon Snow." Ned said as happy as he could possibly be and the lady smiled back "My boy, Jon Snow."

Soon Ned had to go back to his horse and ride outside, taking the measures needed for their journey to continue. And while galloping his way to Winterfell, always glancing back at the carriage, Lord Stark would always recall his sweet sister's begging to promise her he would keep him safe, and recall that little Jon Snow wasn't his bastard, but no one else could ever know about it - Robert could come and drawn him if he knew the truth about him. Jon was so similar to Lyanna that he was very scared to how he would become, if he would inherit any of the madness his father's family was famous for.

Another thing nobody else could possibly know - Jon was prince Rhaegar's bastard. How would Ned hide this from everybody? How could he say he had been unfaithful to his beloved Catelyn? How was him to deal with that and to create a bastard? He had just became a Lord himself. He had little to none experience in being father, imagine how much of experience he had as Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North…

Desperation started to creep in his body and he now remembered he lost his beloved sister, that many men he admired died because Rhaegar chose Lyanna to be his and Robert couldn't allow it. He slowed his horse's pace to stand side by side to the carriage that Lyanna's coffin laid inside. He touched the dark wooden carrier and let his head fall downwards. Hot tears drew patterns in his young face tortured by the war he had helped to win and, finally, he was allowed to mourn his losses.

"How can I do all of this, Lyanna? I'm barely a grown man… I needed you here…" he muttered to himself, careful no one else would listen.

But as he expected, there was no answer at all. Just the cold breeze of the north chilling his bones and freezing the salty tears in the edges of his long face. He was by himself and there was nothing more he could do about it. Just let the Gods decide his destiny.

And, before heading back to where he was, he prayed for them to be merciful.

…

The entire city of Winterfell was ready to welcome Ned and his men back home. He was very glad to see his loyal men and his beautiful redheaded wife, wearing her gleaming blue dress underneath the fur coat warming her and, in her slender arms, a red-brown hair baby boy he had read about in letters she's sent him. She was still the same beauty he admired, her skin was still tanned from all the years she lived in the riverlands before marrying him and her blue eyes exploding in happiness to see her husband safe and back home.

Everyone else was in their knees to welcome their Lord, but lady Catelyn Stark. Because she just couldn't kneel with her baby in arms and Ned couldn't even care about this. He just wanted to get off his horse, run towards her and hug them both so tight she would cry in joy for him to let go or he would smash her and the baby.

"Welcome back home, my Lord Husband." she said playfully, tears of joy gathering at the corners of her sweet eyes.

Eddard let a full length smile in his face as he dismounted and strode towards them both. As he neared, he could see some more of the infant in her arms, all wrapped in furs to get warmed in that cold summer of the north. His little nose was red from the chill and he just wanted to hold him so badly, just like he did to Jon and Daenerys.

"Meet your son, Lord Stark. Robb Stark, this is daddy." she said to the boy, much bigger than the two infants he had just brought and he could feel it just of holding him. He was strong and his eyes were as blue as the sky. He was very similar to Ned and the father felt tears going down his face.

Ned turned towards Catelyn and kissed her forehead, holding Robb very well for a man that didn't know anything about babies. She was rather astonished by her husband's ability with Robb and whispered he loved her very much and he could barely wait for them to be alone.

Catelyn blushed and smiled glad to hear it.

"Please, stand up, everyone!" he demanded and all men and women stood up to meet their honorable Lord, very glad to see him back and well "I have some announcements to make tonight at the feast. Make sure you'll attend it." and the commoners celebrated, very glad, going back to their chores so they could meet their Lord Stark of Winterfell, listen to him while they eat and drink as much as they can.

Catelyn frowned to his invite. She didn't know he would want to call the citizens of Winterfell, she wasn't prepared to it. But she could guess if their kitchen could feed fifty men, it could feed two hundred. Why not?

"Lord Stark, it's great to see you again, my lord." said maester Luwin, next to Vayon Poole, the castle's steward, and Sir Rodrik Cassel, master-at-arms of Winterfell "We were sorely worried about your well being after everything that happened." Meanwhile, Ned was still carrying Robb everywhere.

Cately thought of how odd was that Ned was way comfortable holding their son. Not that she didn't like it, but it wasn't common for new fathers to be so… Fatherly like that. Something wasn't right.

"My friends, I'll tell you everything tonight. Now, I really want to have some time with my Lady Wife and my son, Robb." and their men could understand it.

They walked through the warm corridors of the Great Keep, towards the Lord's bedroom. Baby Robb was taken by his nurse to his room and, once Ned and Catelyn were inside the room, they had much to talk - however, their flesh's desires and their hearts' call made perfectly clear that what other talk they were to have could wait a couple hours… To begin with.

"I missed you so much, my love." she whispered into his ears as they rolled over their fur mattress naked, she lying over his chest and his hand massaging her wavy red locks.

"I missed you too, my lady. Everything about you." he said, his eyes very caringly glancing at the top of her head.

She moved so her orbs could glimpse at him, trying to see if he told the truth underneath those not yielding grey eyes "Even my angry moments?" she challenged and he opened a true smile, grabbing her by the waist and bringing her closer to him. She yelped like a child getting tickles.

"Even those!" Ned answered. They chuckled and kissed once again "Our son is wonderful." she was glad and blushed with his words "I couldn't have asked for anything better."

"And you haven't seen him playing with his toys! He's very clever." She started to tell Ned everything about Robb that he missed.

That he was already nine months old and Maester Luwin told her Robb would learn how to walk anytime soon, that he was very healthy and demanded to be fed lots of times during the day - some days she would have him stuck to her breasts all day long because he just needed. He was very loving to everyone and everything that approached him, a sweet boy she had always wanted. And he could be very fierce when he wanted to.

"He seems like a strong child." he put a stroke of her locks behind her ear to look at her eyes. He would tell her something now, but she intervened…

"And I couldn't imagine that you had such a great way with children, Ned." she said amazed "I thought you would be afraid of holding him, like the rest of men I've knew, but you're much better than all of them." she smiled and Ned gulped, straightened his posture and sitting in the bed. She sat also, covering her back with the mattress they were sitting "Are you okay?"

"Catelyn, I have something to tell you." she nodded and awaited his words "While I was gone…" he tried to find a better way to tell her a fake betrayal, but he could found none. He plotted his fake betrayal his entire travel, yet… It still hurt him to lie to her and to hurt her the way he would "I met a woman, daughter of a fisherman…" Catelyn's expression went from serious to denial as tears started to pour from her eyes "I was very lonely, Cat. I didn't want it, but I was drunk and…" Ned himself started to falter over his own words and Catelyn was hugging herself with the fur mattress, leaving Ned naked without any of it, and sorrowing under the tears running down her eyes "It meant nothing, Cat! I can swore you that!" Ned was soon crying too "I love you more than anything…" her face was in her hand and she was sobbing, waiting for the end of that story and Ned didn't had anything else to say about it but to tell her about the bastard infant "She gave birth to my son…" Catelyn looked up then, startling him, stiff blue eyes he had never seen. Now he knew there was no way out of it anymore. So he straightened his face, letting his eyebrows furrow and continued to talk about him "His name is Jon. He's three months old and he's here in Winterfell with us."

"You're raising a bastard in here?" She spat bitterly "Under my nose?"

"He's my son and I'm raising him in my home." she looked aside, displeased, hating that entire conversation "I'd like you not to punish him for my mistakes." Catelyn's tears were still trading patterns in her beautiful face, however, she looked more of affronted than disappointed.

"Anything else, Lord Stark?" she questioned ready to leave the room and Eddard took her hands in his, causing her to try take them off.

"Yes. There's more. I won't bother you after everything. I really just want you to know before everyone else." she stood and forced herself to look at his face, not into his eyes because she couldn't "Thank you."

"Just say it already, Ned!" she said in contempt, way too hurt to stay there.

"Robert had the Mad King's younger son, Viserys, a children, beheaded." Catelyn widened her eyes and glanced in Ned's sorrowful eyes "I saw it while I held his infant daughter, two months old, so the man that killed Viserys wouldn't throw her from a window of the Red Keep." Too many atrocities for Catelyn's ears to hear. She was terrified by Robert's request. She never thought he would have little children killed just because they were Targaryens "And, in order to let babe Daenerys live a rightful life, I took her in as my ward." Catelyn widened her eyes again, in shock with Ned's fostered sense. Did he mean it? Was he serious about all of it? She couldn't tell "She's also in here and I'll have her raised as one of my children also, or Robert will march here with all his bannermen just to behead a babe that has nothing to do with who her father was."

To that Catelyn agreed, but had no idea how in hell she could raise a princess lika a ward.

She snapped out of her delusion. She was still angry at Ned for being unfaithful to her and fathering a bastard, bringing him to Winterfell and letting everyone else know about it - he was humiliating her and she had no idea why she deserved such a thing.

"Are you done now, Lord Stark?" she asked again, ready to go to her son's room.

"I love you, Catelyn Stark." he said, downward eyes, disturbed by all that conversation and so tired of his trip he could barely stand still.

She left after that and Eddard could feel his tears creeping out his eyes as he waited the sleep to rock him.

...

The feast was crowded. All the citizens of Winter Town and the keepers of Winterfell attended the invitation of their Lord's welcome back celebration. In the table over the platform in the back of the great parlour there were the Starks, Lord Eddard dressed in his casual lord's garments, Lady Catelyn in her turquoise dress and the three babies nurses along each of them, just so Lord Stark would introduce them to their new home.

When Ned stood up to speak, all cleaned up and presentable, much different to the way he arrived his land, a silence took the parlour and he knew it was his turn to speak.

"Good evening, my fellow northerners. I have good news from King's Landing and many of you might already know it." he made a dramatic pause before raising his glass to toast "King Robert has taken the Seven Kingdoms and he promised peace to reign in all of them!" All the people in the parlour, but Lady Stark and most of the Winterfell's workers celebrated more quietly, while the other toasted and yelled "Long live the King!", conforted by this message. Ned waited until their voices softened to continue "As always, the Starks remain the Guardians of the North and it'll continue like this for a thousand more years, if the Gods permit it." they celebrated again, Catelyn very reserved during the entire commotion "I'd like to introduce you to my sons" and the entire parlour was quiet again, only by the murmur about his last word in plural "Robb Stark, my first born, and rightful Lord of Winterfell," all of them applauded and wished little lord Robb a healthy and long life when his Nurse lifted him so everybody could meet the babe "And Jon Snow, my youngest son." they also celebrated, in respect to Lord Eddard, but they were still muttering about the Stark Bastard that looked much more a Stark than the son of his own marriage.

Ned didn't care much about what people were saying, but his master-at-arms, Sir Rodrik Cassel wasn't pleased to such disrespectful manners of those commoners and screamed at them, so they would pay attention to the Lord that hasn't finished his speech.

"And, as a reward for such a successful campaign, King Robert granted me and the North the honor of having Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen, the ward of the North." and they all quiet down when the silver haired babe girl was raised to all see her "As a promise I made my King and I shall keep, not only for him, but for all of you, she shall grow up as a North children. She'll be honorable and everything else that has built our people into. So give her a chance as King Robert and I did." After that wonderful speech, even Lady Catelyn applauded and cheered with the others.

Now they could continue the feast and his announcement was made. Everyone knew the truth - or most of it - and he would continue his life as Guardian of The North for Robert, everything would become steadier and Catelyn would, some day, forgive him for the betrayal he never done. And life would go on for Eddard, his Lady wife, his lord son, his fake bastard son-nephew and his ward former princess.

…

The boys practiced bow and arrow in the courtyard and she stood there, watching over as Bran, the second Stark boy, of nine years old and red-brown hair tried to hit the mark across the field. He was much smaller than the other boys next to him, supposed to be there to support him and encourage him to do the archery properly. The silver haired young lady couldn't help the smirk forming in her full red lips as she leaned against the cornerstone down the bridge - close enough to listen everything and far enough not to be hit by a lost arrow.

At one side of Bran stood Robb, in his strong stance, crossed arms over his chest getting wider every time Dany had her eyes analyzing how handsome Robb was becoming - how manly he was becoming. His thick red-brown hair darkened with the time and had some curls over the tips of his locks, not that long. His blue eyes were bold and sweet at the same and there was a glimpse of a beard growing in his square jaw. He was already eighteen years old and took the best traits of his parents.

At the other side of little Bran, there stood Jon Snow, Lord Eddard's Bastard, much similar to their father than Robb - though Lady Catelyn hated to listen this very words, because she couldn't stand the bare presence of Jon around Winterfell. He had long face as the Starks before them, with almost black grey orbs that wouldn't give what Jon was thinking and ebony curly hair, long enough to cover half of his neck. Pale skin and almost as tall as Robb, strong arms and wide shoulders. A dull stance because he was under Lady Stark's stare alongside his dear father.

The youngest of them all, Rickon, of auburn hair was mounting a bunch of straw for the horses and being amused by those three troublemakers, closer to Daenerys than to the other Stark boys. He was seven years old, slim and very fast. Much similar to the Tully's side than to the Stark's.

Bran missed again and his eyes went downwards along his head, ashamed brown irises.

"Go on, father's watching." said Jon to little Bran while holding his shoulders and glanced up, followed shortly by Bran "And your mother." added not as fond of Lady Stark as Dan and her children were. They sought to the balcony over the courtyard - Dany followed their eyes to meet their Lord and Lady parents.

"Try again, Bran." said Robb passing the ten year old brother another arrow as he's hit the previous at an empty barril beside the marker.

Bran missed another arrow and the boys laughed, making Bran feel uncomfortable and about to cry of shame.

"Stop it, both of you!" Daenerys demanded claiming their attention and the three turned back to meet her violet gaze over them, her silvery blonde hair braided sideways and the fur coat protecting her of the North's cold breeze "Keep going Bran. You can do this." she smiled to him and blinked one of her eyes.

"And which one of you were a marksman at the age of ten?" complemented Lord Eddard, claiming their attention to the couple and stopping the boys laughter "Keep practing, Bran. Go on."

Bran blushed and nodded, smiling small to his father than back to Daenerys and the older boys took a longer second to stop staring at her.

"When did she get here?" Robb wondered to Jon in a whisper.

"Right? I thought she was sewing with Septa Mordane." very annoyed for not noticing Dany's approach. He went back to Bran and advised him again "Don't think too much, Bran." and the smaller brother nodded slightly, preparing his arrow.

"Relax your bow arm." Robb revised watching thoroughly Bran's stance.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, when Bran was about to shoot, an arrow came and hit the center of the mark. Dany could've sworn she saw the arrow coming from her right, so, when she turned, she saw Arya, the youngest Stark daughter, two steps behind her, bowing to Bran and the boys and thanking their attention. She had long face, just like her father and Jon, with dark brown hair and fierce brown eyes. Her manners to Septa Mordane's, Lady Catelyn's and Sansa's point of view were awful, but Daenerys liked the eleven years old girl just the way she was. Arya enjoyed much more staying with her older brothers than with the girls and she was Dany's shadow wherever she would go, because she also cared a lot about the Targaryen ward.

Arya ran around Dany when Bran followed her to get a revenge since she spoiled his practicing, and the Targaryen beauty almost fell on the floor laughing. The children soon enough ran elsewhere and the practice was done.

"Are you alright, Dany?" Jon asked grabbing the bow and arrow left around the courtyard as Robb paced to help Daenerys to stand still.

"Of course I am. Amused as ever." she chuckled to the brothers and they laughed along with her "I wasn't expecting Arya to appear here right now."

"Just as when you appeared." Robb added making her blush and smile embarassed "Did you not have sewing lessons?"

"I was bored." she answered and Robb smirked to her. Jon approached them.

"Tired of sticking your little fingers with needles?" Jon teased with all the arrows in his hands.

"I bet none of you could ever sew anything too afraid of needles." she answered sticking her tongue out to them.

She eventually helped them to keep the armory away, along with Rickon, and she could notice Lady Stark's contempt for Jon under her gaze, as he continued to do his duty with the others. Dany sneakered next to him, grinning and he frowned his eyebrows to her weird face.

"What?"

"You should run."

"Why?" Jon asked worried about it.

"Lady Catelyn looks like she's coming down here any moment to shoot an arrow at your head." Jon laughed imagining the scene.

"Even if she wanted to, she couldn't." Daenerys chuckled loudly.

"Of course 's a lady." she whispered the last part so her lady wouldn't listen to their conversation.

"Unlike some." Jon added teasing her again and Daenerys furrowed her purple eyes to look at him, making a grimace "It's true."

"Just because I shoot better than you, doesn't mean I'm no lady." she replied shrugging and walking away from Jon. He paced faster to stand by her side along Robb while they walked back towards the Great Keep - Rickon was running in front of them.

They were talking and laughing while crossing the courtyard back to their householding when Theon Greyjoy halts them - Lord Stark's other ward from the battle of Balon Greyjoy, his father, that lost against King Robert and had both his brothers killed. He was the rightful heir of the Iron Islands, but he was brought and raised as a ward when Daenerys was at the age of eight. He had become a very handsome man, of black hair and glistering grey eyes. However he can be very arrogant to the non-Stark people, specially to Jon Snow. He used to mistreat her when they were younger, but Theon started to notice her beauty and just couldn't wait to touch the Targaryen Princess. Dany, though, didn't care about him - just as long as he didn't mess with her, he could be the cocky iron born he had always been.

"Lord Stark wants the three of you to escort him to meet a deserter of the Night's Watch." the ward of nineteen years old announced, bowing his head to Dany and smirking his cocky face towards her "As beautiful as ways, my Lady." he courted. She rolled her eyes as a reply.

"Me too?" Bran wondered loudly, not ready for that demand. Theon agreed.

"You won't be a boy forever, Bran. Father wants you to learn things every Stark should know." Robb mussed his hair and followed Theon.

Jon and Daenerys stood there with Bran, escorting him to the stable where they would get in their horses and see to the deserter.

"Don't be afraid, Bran. Everything will be alright." Dany said smoothing his shoulder.

"The most important thing is not to look away. Father will know." Jon advised with his wisdom of seventeen years old. Bran nodded and went after Robb and Theon "He's completely frightened." added to Daenerys.

"Make sure he looks. It isn't a nice thing to watch, but Lord Stark will be very disappointed if he doesn't." Jon nodded, already knowing it "And you…" she grabbed him by his fur coat, making him blush. Her purple eyes looking careful "Don't let Theon mock you too much." Jon grinned, nodding and touching her hand slightly so she would let him go.

"As my Lady commands." And Dany smiled widely to him.

A very usual day to the Stark family at their beloved household, Winterfell.


	2. I

**Disclaimer: A Song of Ice and Fire belongs to George R. R. Martin. I'm just a fan and I own nothing.**

 **Thank you guys for the encouragemente! I'm very glad with all feedbacks and I'll push myself to keep up with the inspiration and continue this story. I'm really loving this and looking forward to your opinions again.**

 **This chapter is about Dany's POV and my intention is to alternate as the fic goes on, then all the chapters have some more povs in them. It's just the beginning, though.**

 **Enjoy your Reading :3**

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 **.I.**

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She watched from the Wall as they went farther north of Winterfell, where the Stark's bannermen found the deserter. They went very fast, it would start to snow any moment now and they couldn't take too long to return home. Her silvery blonde hair could very well blend in to the landscape behind her, the cloudy sky above, the mist taking over the hills that involved their castle. Her fur coat was much similar to the others, with a dark brown cloak underneath the grey, white and brown tones at the animal's fur, a very beautiful dress in light grey with little red, green and golden dragons trimmed carefully at the edge of her sleeves, the hem of her dress and by her neckband - Lord Stark and Lady Stark did not really bother for Daenerys to embroider the sigil of her household. For them, it meant she remembered very well about her heritage and she's proud of being a Targaryen. They would only ask her to wear a non trimmed dress or a dress with wolves or things that reminded the North when the houses that supported the Starks would come - not to cause a commotion over a piece of clothe.

Dany was very mature about all of it, she understood the meaning of being a Targaryen - something very dangerous in the wrong hands. When she had classes with all the children of the Great Keep, Septa Mordane taught them about all the houses and when it was about the Targaryen she told them about the madness and the greatness that involved this ancestor house that conquered the Seven Kingdoms centuries ago, when the brother and his two sisters came from Old Valyria, mounting their dragons, and first landed at Dragonstone, soon enough spreading their conquest for all Westeros.

There was always the awful parts when learning about her heritage - many mad Kings and Queens, many great warriors and lords and ladies… When it got to the year she was born, Robert's Rebellion, she would be very sad and wanted to leave the room, but she couldn't because Lord Stark was watching over her, demanding her from his very hard grey orbs for her to be strong and listen to all of it - he gave his word to King Robert himself to save her, Daenerys learned all of it when she was about ten and, as she grew up understanding more things, the story began to be much more similar to what really happened then the ludic way she first heard about it.

By now she knew her brother, Prince Rhaegar, took Lady Lyanna to be his and her betrothed, Robert Baratheon, now King of Westeros, moved a rebellion to get her back. Many died because of Rhaegar's love, including her child brother, Viserys, beheaded by one of Robert's bannerman, and Dany couldn't help think what it could've been if only things were different…

Now she was a grown woman, beautiful, the age of seventeen and every man at Winterfell would turn their heads towards her Valyrian traits - the true blood of the dragon, she's heard Maester Luwin say when explaining her what it meant, the platinum in her hair and the violet in her eyes. Theon had already asked Lord Stark for her hand once, but he denied, telling him Daenerys was to be married for some other Lord, with lands of his own, and not to his ward - if he wanted to, Theon could marry any other woman of Winterfell, but Dany and his daughters.

Daenerys walked back to the Great Keep, very polite and greeting everyone that crossed her way. She was very dear to all of them, nobody would ever think of the terrible Mad King while seeing her. She was raised like a North woman and that was all they cared about. She would go find Arya to have some more fun with her, because she was feeling a chill going up and down her spine since the moment she stepped out of her bed that morning - it usually meant something would change their lives, and she hated feeling this. The last time she felt it, Jon fell off his horse and was unconscious for two whole weeks, they were barely eight years old and she feared this chill.

Making her way down through the courtyard to the Great Hall, where she was probably planning some prank to get Sansa - the oldest daughter of Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn, and she was just like her mother, of long gingery locks and bright blue eyes, very tall and lean. She was thirteen years old, but she had little to none womanly traits unlikely Dany, that when she was Sansa's age had a very curvaceous body, that Lady Catelyn would try to disguise with bagging dresses so the man wouldn't see and try to take her anywhere. Oh, but Dany hated those dresses.

When she arrived the Great Hall, she found Arya climbing the stone walls to get over the door and scary Sansa when her older sister would come through. Daenerys smirked to that and approached Arya silently. As soon as the little brunette girl tried to climb the porch over the door, the silver haired girl grabbed her feet and pulled her slightly, making Arya scream and hang from the porch.

Daenerys was laughing loudly "DANY! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" Arya said, very pissed, trying to push herself up the porch and not succeeding. She jumped to the same level as Dany and pouted to her "You spoiled my prank!"

"Serves you right! You've tricked enough people for today, Arya." the young lady ruffled the girl's entangled hair, loosened from the braids that Lady Catelyn did earlier.

"Where are the boys? It's the perfect time for swords' practice!" she ignored Dany's teasing and looked at her, shining her curious grey eyes and pretending to hold a sword in her left hand.

"Your father asked them to join him. They went to execute a deserter from the Night's Watch." Arya pouted again, crossing her arms and furrowing her eyebrows "What?"

"I hate being a girl!" Daenerys laughed loudly at that and Arya blushed, getting more annoyed "Father never, EVER, brings me along!" she walked away and the Targaryen former princess followed her "I have to be stuck in here embroidering and dancing, among other 'noblewoman pursuits'!" she mimicked Sansa's voice and Dany chuckled again "I hate being a girl!"

"Well, there isn't much we can do about it." Arya glanced back at Dany when they arrived at her room.

"Of course there is!" Arya replied. Dany arched an eyebrow and the younger, slim girl stopped in front of her mirror "I look like a boy already. Just cut off my hair and give me some male garments." Daenerys put a hand in her chin and stared at Arya, getting in her fantasies.

"Hmmm… Let's see something about that." Arya opened a smile from ear to ear when she saw the silver haired young lady walk towards her and put every lock of Arya's dark hair back, bunning them down so she couldn't see in the mirror "Now, you're hair is short." Arya laughed, enjoying how she looked with short hair "What else can we do?" she asked the little sister - she considered Arya her dear baby sister ever since she was little.

"We could grab some of Jon's clothes!" Arya suggested and Daenerys guffawed, agreeing to her. They both ran to his room and went through his clothes, laughing loudly while going through his undergarments.

"You'd have to wear those if you want to be boy." Dany remembered Arya and she crinkled her nose, making a face to that.

"I'd wear the girl's undergarments. They look more comfortable." And they found a dark pantaloon and a leathery vest along his boots.

Back at Arya's room and she changed into his clothes as Dany played with the patterns in her sister's mattress.

"What else would you have from the girl's world?" was a very difficult question.

"Mostly nothing." retorted Arya and Dany made a sarcastic joke that had Arya laugh again "I don't know how to close this stuff!"

"I know you don't like mostly everything of being a girl. But there are some privileges the boys don't have." Arya arched her eyebrows to that, grimacing and walking towards Daenerys, signing for her to continue as Dany helped her button up correctly Jon's vest "Like being the first of everything!" she said very glad about that and Arya thought for some moments, agreeing by last.

"This helps me to win the races against them." Arya gave in and Dany nodded.

"Of course you're much faster than the others, but it helps." Dany could see now Arya looking to the ceiling thinking about it "What else?"

"Maybe that we're much stronger than men…?" Dany nodded smiling.

"Much more! There was a time when Theon sticked his thumb in one of my sewing needles and it went very deep, but, come on, it's a needle!" Arya laughed and the Targaryen continuing telling "He asked Maester Luwin to give him milk of the poppy to take it out because he couldn't bare the pain." she laughed some more at her memory "And we laughed of him forever since." Dany signalized for Arya to look at the mirror and see how she turned out as a boy "What do you think, Lord Arry?" she jested and the brunette girl admired herself.

"It's too big!" she told Dany.

"Pretend it fits you!"

"Fine!" Arya watched as she did look like a boy, but something was still wrong. It wasn't fitting… "There's something wrong…"

"I know what is wrong." the younger girl looked at the other and waited for her to continue "Look again at the mirror, to your face." she obeyed and glanced at the 'horseface' she inherit from the Starks, feeling very uncomfortable and Daenerys continued "You see that face?" Arya nodded "A Lord will never be so beautiful. This beauty belongs to a lady, a Stark Lady, only." Arya blushed and smiled small "And don't mind about what those silly girls that follow Sansa everywhere say. When I went to the crypts and saw your aunt Lyanna's statue, I can sworn it that you two are very alike!"

Before any of those two could continue the conversation, they could hear someone getting to Arya's room and it was one of her handmaidens "Lord Stark requires your presence at the Great Hall immediately." Daenerys nodded and the handmaiden left the room, chuckling slightly for Arya's funny look.

"Let's go, get back to your clothes before…"

"Hey, where are my clothes?" they both cackled when listening to Jon's concerned voice about his clothes.

…

There were all the ladies of Winterfell, Catelyn and her daughters, Sansa and Arya, back in her dress, and Daenerys sitting in the heavy wooden chairs while Rickon ran from side to side, anxious to what his Lord Father wanted them to see.

"Is father bringing us presents, mother?" he wondered to Lady Catelyn and the ginger woman of her late thirties smile to him, shrugging her slender shoulders covered by her long sleeved cobalt dress and glancing to the her daughters at her left and to Dany, sitting at her right.

"Do you know what this is all about?" the three of them shook their heads, as confused as Lady Stark and the woman winked to her little boy "Let's hope it's something good, alright?" Rickon grinned and went back to his solo game.

Daenerys looked through the window absent mindedly when she heard Lady Catelyn's speak, but she wasn't particularly interested until her Lady called her name "Yes, Lady Stark." she said startled and blushing for she was caught wandering away with her mind.

"A raven just arrived from King's Landing." announced the elder woman and the Targaryen girl's purple eyes widened afraid. Catelyn gesticulated for her to calm down "This time it wasn't about you, my girl." Dany let out a breath she didn't know she holding when Lady Catelyn continued "However, you should better prepare yourself." the silver haired beauty furrowed her brows, not understanding what her Lady Stark was talking about.

But, then, there were sharp barking coming from the entrance of the Great Hall and Lord Stark saying he warned the boys about those pups and he would not say a word about their pets.

"Dogs?" Sansa wondered looking at her mother, a little smile curling up her pale face as Arya jumped from her seat with Rickon leaping from side to side, too excited to stand still.

And before Lady Catelyn could reply, Lord Stark entered the room followed shortly by his lord sons, his ward and his bastard - all of them holding pups that had sharp ears lifted, slim snouts with lots of fur covering all their skin, of black, brown, grey, white and silver bristles, and wisp tails.

"They're soo cute!" Sansa screamed making her way down to Robb and taking one of the female pup from his hand.

"Calm down, all of you!" Lord Eddard said to all his children, even Daenerys ran towards Jon, who held two snow white furred little pups. They were much smaller than the rest of the pack. The bastard gave her one of them and the Targaryen's face lighten up to the biggest smile she could have.

"Those aren't dogs…" Lady Catelyn said glancing worried at her Lord Husband.

"They're direwolves, mother." Robb answered watching Theon giving Rickon a dark cream direwolf pup "We found the mother dead and they were left to die. Father allowed us to keep them." he grinned sweetly to his mother who was concerned about so many direwolves pups.

"But, Ned, they'll be huge!" mentioned his wife that had studied about direwolves when she came to the north. They were supposed to exist only north of the Wall.

"That's what I told them and I'm telling you ladies, right now." Lord Eddard claimed their attention and all of them turned to him, holding their direwolf pup in hands "You'll feed them yourselves, train them and you'll bury them yourselves if they die." all of them nodded and agreed to his noble demands "And I don't want seven direwolves going wild inside these walls, so you better start right now by giving them names!" he said before the children started to laugh and wonder how to call them.

Lord Eddard left the room and his Lady Wife followed shortly after warning all of them that supper would be served by the nightfall, so they were not to get delayed by their pets.

"Why Theon has none?" Rickon asked and the Greyjoy young man laughed, ruffing his head.

"I didn't want any more trouble than those I already have." he announced, very pleased in not having to raise any pet "You have no idea how much trouble having a dog is."

"And you'll never know how wonderful it's to own a direwolf like us." Robb replied smugly, playing with his grey pup that was already very fond of him "And this is Grey Wind."

Daenerys and Jon watched as the others were figuring names for their pups at the corner, stroking the platinum fur of her little pup, of great blue orbs. Jon was very amused with his own pup to keep staring at the young lady next to him, marveled by the little creature.

"Those two were buried deep in the snow." he muttered and she glanced up at him, hugging the female pup as she paid attention to his words "Theon said they were meant for all the Stark children, even the both of us."

"He said that?" Daenerys was rather intrigued with the Greyjoy's comment and Jon held a laughter "What's wrong with him? He's being too nice for a day." the brunette young man agreed watching the red eyes of his pup "Have you figured out a name for him?"

"He looks like Ghost to me." he told her and Daenerys punched his shoulder slightly chuckling "Well, look at him! He is snow white and has this big red eyes. What other name would you give to him then?"

"You're such a fool, Jon Snow!" she teased and he made a face, going on with her jest "But your pup liked Ghost." she added and pointed to the direwolf, swinging his tail and turning his little head from side to side as he heard his name "Ghost it is." Jon caught Daenerys' purple eye winking at him and smirked charmed at that as she grabbed and rocked her white pup.

"What are you calling her?" the pup had slept in Dany's lap.

"Maybe Sleeping Beauty…" she joked and he sneered a laughter.

"Too long, Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen!" he teased and she grimaced at him.

"I'd call her Silver, but that's already my mare's name…" she looked at Jon and he commented something stupid about same names are more difficult to forget than different names. Daenerys glanced once again at the bastard and he made a funny face, making his hair fall over his countenance and she stretched her hand to take the dark curls off his face to stare deeper into his eyes. He reddened so fast she could feel the heat emanating from him and grinned widely "I'm calling her Snow."

"And why are you looking at me like that?" he wondered, not sure if he wanted to know the answer or not.

"I was making sure I wouldn't regret it." Jon furrowed his dark brows and laughed pissed off about her joke. She didn't seem to care though, because she leaned in and kissed his hot cheek, smiling widely after that.

"Snow it is." he mimicked her and she laughed, waking up the pup.

…

When they were reunited again, having supper, Lord Eddard had another announcement to make after all of them had finished eating - because he knew some wouldn't be able to swallow anything later, specially his lady ward, Daenerys. He was gathering the words and the courage, but Ned wasn't young anymore. He was very experienced and delaying it would only make things worse, for everyone.

"Are you glad with your direwolves?" he asked first, having an unison answer from his children. He smiled small at that and Lady Catelyn allowed herself to smirk too "Great. Now, I have a more serious deed to tell you." he looked to all of his children and, at least, his fierce grey orbs laid in Daenerys' face "Jon Arryn, the Lord Eerie and the Vale, hand of the King, passed away. He was a close friend and like a father to me. I would like you to pray in his behalf tonight, so the Gods may guide his way to the Afterlife." all of them stood quiet for a moment before Ned continued "King Robert and all his court are coming to Winterfell in a fortnight, probably to make me a proposal, that includes all of you, because you're my family, and to meet Daenerys."

And he was right. She couldn't even breathe after this announcement, swallowing would be the last thing that would cross her mind. Her mind started wandering elsewhere, her imagination working to the wrong way, seeing herself locked in a dungeon as King Robert sentenced her execution - the people she loved the most, Robb, Jon, Arya, Bran, Lord Stark, Lady Stark, Rickon, even Sansa and Theon, turning their faces from her because she was a dragonspawn and the time to annihilate the Targaryen's from the existence had arrived.

Her entire body was trembling and she couldn't listen to what Lord Eddard was speaking, because she was too frightened of what would happen when the Usurper arrived at her beloved home to grab her by her hair and drag her all the way down to King's Landing just to behead her in front of his people.

Of course, he could always kill her in front of the Starks if it was his desire…

A hand touched hers which were grabbing and crumpling the grey skirt of her dress. She snapped out of it, turning abruptly to her left and meeting Jon's deep grey and calming gaze. She accepted his warm touch and squeezed his hand between hers, much smaller and frail than his, welcoming the courage he gave to her by this gentle gesture.

"Is the prince coming?" Sansa asked suddenly very interested in the subject and Arya rolled her eyes away.

"Yes, the princes are coming, the princess, the Queen and her brothers." Ned grimaced at the mention of the Lannisters and continued his speech, staring again at Dany "All of you will behave while they stay here and let's hope they'll leave soon." All of them, but Sansa, nodded agreeing with him.

…

Ned knocked on the door, waiting patiently and straightening his posture as he heard the sweet voice of the girl he raised as his own daughter. He could listen to her light steps hurrying towards the door and he felt terribly to make her pass through such a humiliation. Of course Eddard knew much more than what he told his children today, that Robert was coming to claim him as the Hand of the King and he couldn't do much about it. And if he went South, he would have to take Daenerys along his daughters - he really didn't want it to happen. He wasn't feeling great about this.

"Yes?" Dany opened the door quickly in her nightgown and bowed to her Lord Stark, smiling small to him, her swollen violet eyes "Oh, good night, Lord Eddard." she opened her door so he could enter if he wanted to.

"Can we talk?" he beamed slightly to her, compassionate and she nodded.

She let him close the door, because he was always adamant about gentleman manners and followed the Targaryen girl to her bed. Her long wavy platinum hair went down her back and fell in front of her. Her room was always very warm, due the powerful hearth, because Dany was always so cold - during the day she could find it in her to stand the temperature, but, at night, even with the thermal waters heating the Great Keep, she still felt very cold - Ned could feel the sweat going down his forehead as he approached the window and opened a crack in it so he would breath better.

"Are you worried, Dany?" he asked in a soft voice and his ward admitted, embracing her slender body in her arms "My urge is to tell you that you don't have to, but you're a grown woman and aware of things." she gazed back at him, frightened tears gathering in the corners of those Valyrian eyes, sweet eyes "I promised Robert you'd never threaten his reign."

"You know I won't, my Lord!" she said desperate, crying and walking towards him. Ned touched her shoulders and tried to calm her "You know I would never deny your words, father…" lord Stark embraced the young lady, assuring her and believing in her words. He trusted Daenerys and considered her as one of his daughters.

"And I won't let anyone hurt you, my sweet girl." Eddard warned her, cupping her face and making her look at him "Even if I have to stand up to the King once again to keep you safe, I will." she nodded even more touched by his words.

"You can't go against the King, father. He'll have you killed." She told him, holding his hands and smiling as he chuckled softly.

"He's a King, not a fool. Who is going to guard the North for him?" Daenerys agreed "Besides, he's my friend and he'll believe me once he gets a look at those eyes of yours." he mussed her hair and hugged her once more before preparing to leave "Try not to worry, my girl. We still have a fortnight until they arrive" and he left, but Dany couldn't really fall asleep that fast.

She just kept glancing at the ceiling trying to imagine happy thoughts and ignore King Robert's arrival in fifteen days…

She heard a faint bark and got up to see Snow trying to climb her bed and join her, with her bright blue orbs shining at Daenerys and head leaning from side to side. Dany smiled and grabbed her pup, putting her under the mattress with her and stroking her until they both fell finally in a deep sleep.

 _A dragon and a direwolf._

…

A week passed and the direwolf pups grew so much even Lady Catelyn could believe in her very eyes, and they followed the Stark children everywhere, or anywhere they could go, because when they went riding outside the pups had to stay in Winterfell - but they stood guarding the gates until they were back.

Like this very moment, when Jon and Dany took Sansa, Arya and Bran outside to play in the woods, since their Lady mother seemed to be in very good spirits, allowing them to go, and the weather was warmer than usual helped a lot also. She wanted to send the guard along the children, however the bastard and the ward guaranteed her there was no need because they wouldn't go far way and wouldn't take too long to come back.

Jon went ahead with Bran and Arya to the neared woods in which they would play with their wooden swords and among other things, while Sansa galloped in a softer pace with Dany still very interest in Prince Joffrey's. Her bright blue orbs glistening as they imagined the blonde prince looks and how charming he could possibly be.

"Do you not want to meet the prince, Dany?" she asked, grinning already in love for her dreamy prince.

"Not particularly. No." Sansa had this outraged face in hers "I just don't dream about princes, Sansa." she chuckled and looked ahead of them, seeing Jon disappearing between some trees "I won't marry one of them."

"It doesn't mean you can't dream of it." Sansa replied skeptical of Dany's thoughts "You can't be serious… Every girl wants to marry a prince! Specially Prince Joffrey!"

"I'm not like every girl." she granted her with a great smile and Sansa laughed of her older sister "You, on the other hand, will surely marry some lord or even the prince himself, if he deserves you, of course." her announcement made Sansa show her teeth in joy as she thought talked about prince Joffrey. Dany barely rolled her eyes, amused by the delusional sister.

"He must be so handsome! I've heard he has golden hair and bright green eyes as the Lannisters and their beauty." she wondered and Dany was starting to get bothered "Do you think father will allow me to marry him?"

"He will ponder over it." Sansa rolled her eyes and scolded Dany "What? He'd do that."

"What do you think, Daenerys!"

"Well…" Dany glanced slightly tense towards Sansa, wanting to finish that conversation and meet with her other siblings "Have you bled, Sansa?" the ginger girl widened her eyes and flushed gawky, not waiting for the Targaryen ward to say such a thing "You'll only marry Joffrey if you have bled already and become a grown woman. Father won't marry children."

After that, Sansa turned her face into a scowl and fastened her mare's pace to meet the others before Daenerys and the young lady thought she was away too harsh on Sansa's thoughts. She was just girl and dreaming of charming princes, Dany should understand this, but she couldn't due to her family constantly remind of how mad the royal family could be.

She never once dreamed of marrying a prince or deluded herself about perfect and handsome man to marry. First of all, Daenerys didn't think she would ever get married because who would betroth a Targaryen, for an instance. Then there was the thoughts she might marry someone, but it wouldn't be someone she would fell in love with first - after all, she's a ward of the Starks and she'd have to be useful to them someday. Maybe her dear Lord Eddard was just waiting for the best proposal from a very wealthy lord and she would be given gladly and her future husband's house would sworn loyalty to the Starks, more bannermen for them. She knew she'd have a duty when it came and it was adding alliances to the Starks.

However, she did dream about marrying either Lord Stark's sons. Mostly, she dreamt of marrying Jon Snow and live forever in Winterfell, become a seamstress as he would be the master-at-arms of Lord Robb once Sir Rodrik Cassel passed away, bear his dark haired children with purple eyes and pale skin, their direwolves also breeding, grew older with his brooding, unyielding Stark face.

Sometimes, she would dream of kissing Robb while riding his horse after he saved her from thieves when they were outside Winterfell, a day particularly similar to that very day she went riding with the children and Jon. And she felt deeply guilty about such dream go inside her head - she really had Robb as her own brother. And those times were the times she remembered she was indeed a Targaryen and her inheritance of incestous weedings preceding and giving birth to her. She was very drawn to him everytime he gave her that smug smirk when dancing with her before Theon did or when he gazed at her praying in the Godswood with Lord Stark.

She finally joined the Stark children and Jon Snow, the three of them were playing hide and seek while the bastard laced the horses to the trees. Daenerys got off her mare and laced her on her own, startling the brunette young man once he finished his task. He smirked at her, a tiny wrinkle between his brows as he approached the Valyrian beauty.

"Were you lost?" he teased and Dany showed him her tongue "You took ages to get in here."

"Sansa and I were discussing prince Joffrey's handsome or not look." the bastard arched an eyebrow, not very pleased with that subject "That was the same face I gave her, but you know Sansa, when she talks about charming and handsome imaginary princes there's no one who can stop her."

"Except that he isn't imaginary. He's real and he's coming." Daenerys let her head lean forward, remembering that the King was coming and trying not to become afraid again "Do you want to talk about it? I thought you'd be very uneasy about it, but you're handling it alright." he lead her to a branch and they sat down, looking at each other faces.

"Can I handle this anyway but alright?" she wondered, twisting the corner of her mouth and gazing at Jon with puppy eyes "Lord Stark talked to me about it, reassured me I'll be safe. I can't really suffer from anticipation, I'll end up killing myself ."

"Your sense of humor seems intact." he bickered, pulling a smirk in the corner of his lips and receiving a light punch from the stormborn lady "It was a compliment, you hotheaded lady!" she narrowed her purple eyes to stare at him as he pretended to be in pain and massaging her arm.

"You're lacking of better compliments." she retorted folding her arms over her chest.

"I won't let them do anything to you." Jon whispered in her ear and Daenerys felt a great heat and glanced up to him, he was very close to her "Do you believe in me, Daenerys Stormborn?" he called her this way when he meant it.

Dany lifted her face slightly, stopping it inches away from Jon's concerned and devoted face. She nodded and she could see that he was blushing as hard as she was. Her heart was pounding so fast she could listen to it, almost jumping off her chest.

"Good." he whispered again, his hard grey orbs going from her eyes and to her mouth, swallowing every now and then as they stood like this "Stop worrying now."

"Alright." she agreed, looking from his orbs to his reddish lips underneath that growing dark beard.

Before any of them could move forward and seal their kiss, Arya called out to them and they leapt from the branch in half a second, if possible, widening the space between them and reddening so much even Jon's pale ears were deep flushed.

The brunette girl got to them, very pissed and with crossed arms over her slender chest. She had dirty all over her dress and there were grass in her braided dark locks.

"What is going on?" Jon demanded to know after everything, steadying his breath and staring at the tempered younger sister.

"Bran is climbing a tree so high that Sansa thinks he'll fall and break his skull." she gesticulate irritated "Everything is alright, she's just overreacting, that's all!" Arya stated pouting "She asked you to go there and make Bran come down or she'll tell mother."

Jon was about to go himself, but Daenerys went ahead, taking care of things and ruffing Arya's entangled braids in the way. The young man let out a breathe he didn't know he was holding and sat down again, leaning his body forward and supporting his head with his hands. Arya glanced at his posture and arched an eyebrow, walking towards him and standing in front of his sorrowful stance.

"You're pathetic." Jon barely stared at her, not really wanting to answer her temper "I took those two out there so you could be alone with Dany and you failed your quest!" He grunted throwing his body backwards "Wake up, Jon Snow! It's time to do something about your feelings, don't you think?"

"It-it's not like I wasn't doing anything!" he defended himself, flushing brightly "We were very close to kissing!" he muttered the last part so the others wouldn't listen to his report to Arya "But you rushed in because of Bran!" he narrowed his dark eyes to her "You spoiled the moment."

"Now it's my fault that you're too slow, Snow?" he grimaced at Arya and she laughed wryly "I can't believe in you."

"I tried, alright? At least I got close of doing it! You should be supporting me and not picking on me!" he stood up, glancing at her from above and she rolled her eyes.

"I won't cover-up your mistakes, Jon! I'm supporting you, that's why I'm here telling you that you've failed!" he glanced at the direction Dany went and spotted Bran coming down from the tree as Sansa made her way back to the branch they stood "What if Robb try something?"

"I guess I'll need to hurry up then."

Arya sneered and walked away "You guess…"

Sansa saw Arya marching back to the horses and leaving a very unpleasant, frustrated Jon by the branch, running his hand through his dark curls and looking down - his face bright red.

"What happened?" the auburn haired sister asked and Arya replied grabbing her horse.

"Jon Snow knows nothing..."

...

The day had arrived and the entire Winterfell was prepared - or as prepared as were supposed to be. Lord Stark and his entire family were outside in the courtyard under the clouded sky waiting for King Robert's expedition arrive - and they were about the gates. They could hear the man horses galloping towards them.

Eddard and Catelyn shared worrisome stares and Dany stood right behind them, Theon at one side and Jon at the other, holding tightly to her hand. All very well dressed to meet the Queen - Lady Stark had the young man cut their hairs and shave their beards to look presentable and the young ladies were dressed in new dresses, coloured with the Stark colours.

Daenerys' platinum hair was half loose and half tied up in a bun, showing very well her beautiful face. Her pale skin was paler than ever and her violet eyes were very attentive to any movements around her. Her heart was racing inside her, ready to take flight anytime and she could feel her body trembling because of that. She was extremely anxious and Jon couldn't do nothing to help. The dark fur coat she wore made her look even more paler that usual and the silvery grey dress had her almost vanishing between the other people - she really wanted to blend in and get done with it at once.

But a Valyrian between Northerners was just like the moon in the dark sky - easily spotted and shining brighter than the rest of the stars.

"I won't let them touch you." she heard the sweet, calming whisper from her right and she turned slightly to glance at Jon's brooding face, his eyes yielding to her and supporting her the best he could. He was wearing his fur cloak and a brown vest to compliment his very Stark look. He indeed resembled a lot his father.

She smiled small to him and nodded, squeezing his hand between hers and he entangled their fingers.

Suddenly, everyone was kneeling and so the both of them knelt too, leaning down their heads and listening to the carriage stopping in the middle of the courtyard. Then the horses stopped and there was a sound of a heavy man walking towards them. She was close to a heart attack at how fast her heart was pacing and she tightened her grip over Jon's hand. He squeezed to assure her he was still in there.

Lord Eddard stood up, followed shortly by everyone else, she went along not wanting to get the king's attention right at that very moment. And she saw the man she was concerned about meeting, the only man that frightened her more than the memories of her Mad Father.

"Your Grace." the deep voice of her father broke the silence.

"You've got fat!" dark brown hair with grey locks and grey spots on his thick dark beard spoke to her lord father. His eyes were deep blue and his face was round along the rest of his body. He seemed to have been a very handsome man, though he aged much faster than Lord Eddard. He had wrinkles all over his face and his dark garments weren't making him look the age he was at all.

Ned glanced back at his King, arching one of his brows and twisting slightly his lips to the man's comment. Soon enough the both of them were cackling together and hugging each other. The King hugged lady Catelyn, played with Rickon's hair, went straight to shake Robb's hand, complimented Sansa's beauty, asked Arya's name and made Bran show him his muscles - it all took ages in Daenerys perspective, because she just couldn't wait until this King Robert would meet her and sentence her already for the crimes she's never committed.

"Nine years!" the King talked to Lord Stark again, back in front of him, glancing nostalgic at his friend "Why haven't I seen you? Where the hell have you been?"

"Guarding the North for you, your Grace. Winterfell is yours." there was a smile in Ned's voice and the King nodded very glad to hear that.

Then his sharp blue eyes met Daenerys violet orbs behind her tall Lord father. He narrowed them and stared back at Ned, making sure he wasn't mistaken in calling the young lady to stand between the Lords of Winterfell. Ned nodded and King Robert scowled, taking one step backwards and signalizing for Dany to go meet him.

Lord and Lady Stark let her pass and stand two steps in front of them. Lord Eddard started speaking "Your Grace, may I introduce you to Lady Daenerys Targaryen." she knew why he wouldn't exceed in her titles - King Robert wouldn't like it.

She felt naked under his intense gaze, his eyes going up and down her silhouette as if she was some rabid animal about to strike. Well… Thinking this way, she was a dragon herself. She could be a rabid animal if she wanted to be, but it wasn't a instinct to her.

He arched an eyebrow and focused his eyes in hers, looking for some trait of her later parentage. If he found any, she was doomed and Dany's body wouldn't stop trembling from so much tension coming out of this man's eyes. It was endless.

"Hmm…" he made a contempt face and stood closer "How old are you?"

Dany's voice faltered and she had to say again, louder "Seventeen, your Grace."

"A grown woman already." he stared back at Ned "You've had quite the job raising this one." he remarked and Ned smiled to him, touching Daenerys' shoulder to reassure her it was almost over.

"She's been very devoted to everything. I had no job at all, your Grace." Ned pulled on her cloak and Daenerys bowed, walking backwards to her place between Jon and Theon, feeling Lady Catelyn's soft hand grasping her arm and squeezing it slightly, securing her.

"Yeah, yeah…" Robert lost his interest in Daenerys and marched towards the crypts "Come along, Ned. I want to pay my respects."

This very moment, Queen Cersei had her hand kissed by Eddard, with her long golden locks and bright green eyes. Her skin was kissed by the sun and her garments were in bright red and golden thread. She stared at Daenerys for some seconds before listening to her husband's commotion and gazed back at him.

"We've been riding for a month, my love." she said, a beautiful and soft voice "Surely the dead can wait." but the King was as little interested in Queen Cersei's opinion as he was to Daenerys' raising.

Jon grabbed her hand again and smiled widely at her once his lord Father followed the King to the crypts. They stood there, of course, as the house keepers helped the King's court to settle in Winterfell and Dany could finally think of something else but this very odd King Robert.

In front of the carriage stood prince Tommen, the King's younger son, smaller than Bran, Dany could tell, and just as like the other Lannisters - of golden locks and green eyes, wearing red. Princess Myrcella, exactly alike her mother, but with softer eyes than Cersei's. She was about Arya's age and she was flushing a shy smile to Robb. Daenerys grinned to that. In a horse next to the carriage, in front all of the handmaidens of the Queen, was her twin brother, Sir Jaime Lannister, of sleek golden hair floating in the wind when he took off his King's Guard helmet and held it by his side, the same green eyes all the others had.

Across the courtyard, making his way galloping to the carriage, was prince Joffrey in all his mighty title. He wasn't that handsome as Sansa dreamed of, not even close of what Daenerys' handsome notion were about. He had a boyish face and the same hair and eyes of his mother, but they seemed a bit too smug in Dany's opinion - she didn't like him. He was Sansa's age, slender presence and average height. His green eyes had locked with Dany at a moment and he grinned, bowing to her. She just didn't turned around because she remembered he could behead her also, so she forced a smile, not showing her teeth, and bowed her head towards him, turning abruptly to Jon after that so he wouldn't keep staring at her very much.

"Can we get out of here?" Dany's pleading face made the bastard smirk widely to her and called out for Robb, who turned abruptly towards him - the same begging eyes of Daenerys'.

"Let's go!" the older brother lead the way so they could get out of there at once.


	3. II

**Disclaimer: A Song of Ice and Fire belongs to George R. R. Martin. I'm just a fan and I own nothing.**

 **I'm back, guise! I'm sorry I took a whole week to update, but I'm very picky about this story and that's the main reason it took me so long to come here and post another chapter. And now there's a little bit of Jon's POV and I appreciated this chapter a lot. Hope you'll like it.**

 **Good Reading :3**

* * *

 **.II.**

* * *

They were on the Bridge, far away from the King and his royal pricks, mimicking the royal court and Daenerys couldn't hold her laughter. Robb jested, pretending he was King Robert, widening his arms and mimicking his round form and walking to Daenerys, puffing his cheeks to make him look fatter and Dany was breathless of so much cackling. Jon was very much rolling on the floor, holding his stomach as he cried of laughing.

"I'm just staring at you to scare you, but I'm much more worried of what Cat has prepared for the feast!" Dany was shaking from laughing "Ned had so much work to hide you from me so I would just glance a moment at you before ignoring my Queen to see my beloved late Lyanna's grave."

"Just like that, Robb!" Jon exclaimed widening his eyes as he dried the laughing tears "He gave a shit to her! Her face literally went from cool Queen to lame and really pissed." they smirked at each other.

"But she's still very beautiful." Dany tried to sooth the conversation "He's very pertinent."

"He's the King! He can be whatever he wants, no one will stand up to him." stated Robb, relaxing his posture and rubbed his chin smirking widely at his brother, approaching Dany "Are you alright after the…" Robb searched for the words as Daenerys grinned at him. He laughed "Awkward - let's use this word - moment with your Grace?" she shrugged, stretching her arms to her sides.

"I was waiting for his sentence." she admitted and Robb rolled his orbs as Jon chuckled slightly next to them "I mean it! He isn't fond of me, it's obvious. I wasn't comfortable with him searching the deepest secrets of my soul in front of everyone."

"You survived it. A great warrior." Jon joked, winking one of his dark eyes to her and she grimaced as an answer, smiling later "What about the prince Sansa awaited for long?" Dany made a funny face and Robb was indignant about Joffrey.

"You must be joking me! She kept looking at him the entire King's analyzes of Dany's dragon soul!" she smacked him on the arm and Robb ignored it, continuing speaking, grunting at how absurd he thought of this "She was almost jumping into his arms and they're both children!"

"She was waiting a long time for his arrival. Of course she would keep staring at him, Robb." the Targaryen commented and the her young lord gazed at her clearly unhappy with that "He was gazing at her too, just so you know."

"He'd be a royal asshole not to look at her, but what I really mean is…" Jon and Dany were cackling again and Robb was still pestering about it "They are just children, for the Gods' sake!" and he turned abruptly at Dany, narrowing his eyes at her and she furrowed her dark brows to him "He was also glaring at you, Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen! What do you have to say about that?"

"I didn't want to loose my head. Literally." she admitted again and all of the chuckled soundly once more, leaning their bodies forward "The King seemed to like you, Robb." she bumped her shoulder in his arm, because he was much taller than her, and he shrugged.

"Some of us are more privileged not to even share a word to him." he looked to Jon, smiling kindly and Jon sighed in relief.

"The perks of being a bastard." he joked, but Dany and Robb knew it really was just a joke - being a bastard had no such perks, Jon could never inherit Winterfell or the Stark's famous house. Even though he was raised with the better education, he'd still just be a bastard of the North like many others.

"There you are!" Theon's cocky voice reverberate through the bridge as he joined the bastard, the lord and the ward. He had changed his clothes to more formal and nightly sable vest, with golden embroiders of kraken over his chest underneath the iron grey cloak, and pointed at the horizon, the sun going down as he joined them "Lady Catelyn wants to talk to you now, Daenerys." he sent the blonde lady a shameless grin, running his eyes from head to toes "You were supposed to be ready for the King - I mean, for the feast." he corrected himself.

"You have always some joke to tell, Theon." Daenerys mentioned disgusted walking towards the direction he just came from. He jested again, trying to touch her in her way.

"Always to pleasure you, my lady." bowing to her and she arched one of her brows, cold face.

"It's a pleasure not to hear your voice." and went to meet her Lady mother.

The Stark boys laughed and Theon frowned, not happy with Daenerys heated answer. He stared at the two brothers and laughed mimicking them, a little pissed.

"Yeah, yeah. Enough already. Your mother ordered for the both of you to get dressed to impress the Queen. Hurry up!" he grabbed the brothers by their sleeves and dragged them down the corridor, back to the Great Keep where they would get ready for Cersei.

And they went separate ways. Jon walked to his room at the second floor as Robb and Theon urged to his on the higher floor. Once he opened the door to his room, there was Ghost sitting over his bed, his head leaning to one side, lifted white ears and bright red eyes watchful. Jon smiled to his pup and Ghost, much bigger than he was when he first came to Winterfell and longer white furs, laid down to his bed again.

"You're so quiet." Jon commented as he shut the door and walked towards his dresser, searching for his best clothes "You're either too lazy to make a sound, either too smart to like humans." the direwolf kept glaring at him and the bastard could swear Ghost was very similar to the God's tree in the Godswood - the same eyes.

Jon chuckled and patted the albino direwolf's head "You're a very weird pup."

He found his more formally vests, of ebony leather and cotton, the hems molded in small spikes and the buttons were underneath his chemise. Same coloured pants and dark brown boots, the cleaner he had - he used to have just three pair of boots and he was very careful not to ruin any of them because he just didn't want to be a nuisance for anyone, specially Lady Stark - the cobbler would most certainly tell her about his crazy adventures that damaged his shoes.

He knew it wasn't about a shoe or a piece of clothe, a chicken leg, the Starks wouldn't be carressing of anything - they were the wealthiest family in the entire North. The mainly reason Jon would avoid troubling Lady Catelyn was his mother, the woman he never knew and no one else, since his father wouldn't talk about her ever. And, even though Lady Catelyn was very cold to him and hardly even directed a word to him, she endured his presence, the best she could, in respect to his father or, also, she didn't have much other choices but bear with him.

She was never a mother to him like to her children and Daenerys, not that he was expecting that from her, but he would be very jealous of all of them for having a mother to cradle them at night and read ancient stories when he was just a boy. She would only allow him to stay at her reading section when Lord Eddard was along or when Robb and the others asked. That was obvious to everyone in Winterfell that she couldn't stand his presence for such a long time.

And Jon respected that, being mostly out of her sight as he grew older, understanding her position and her bleakness towards him, avoiding staying in the same room as she was for more than five minute. All of this just made him think more and more about making his uncle Benjen take him to the Wall, to make his vows and become a man of the Night's Watch and guard the North from the Wildlings.

He was in front of the mirror now, glaring at his long, pale face, his dark eyes and brows drawing attention, his thick sable curls falling over his countenance and forcing him to comb them backwards, Lady Catelyn wanted the young man with clean and showing faces to impress the Queen - Jon rolled his eyes remembering Theon's annoying voice. He tried to comb it the best he could backwards and keep them there, but his hair had willing of it's own and that meant there would be no hair back that night.

Jon eventually gave up, just washing his face with water and trying to be turn his face less brooding until it was the time to go, marching his way towards the Great Hall and wait for his family's orders to take a seat at the back of the tables, far away from the table where his Lord father would sit with the King and their respective wives. Then, he stopped in the kitchen, watching the organized chaos in there - great animals roasted in wooden spikes, some just waiting for the feast to begin, others in prepare, a hundred or more barrels of wine piled in the biggest wall, many other kitchen servants cutting vegetables and preparing the dishes to make them much more appetizing. The bastard could feel his stomach growling in hunger, so he neared one of his favorites' lady servant and grinned widely at her, grabbing a piece of whatever she was preparing. She waved a hand at him, rolling her eyes and continuing her work as Jon went back near the door to the Great Hall.

Once more, as he watched the people concluding the decoration of the Great Hall and setting all the tables and chairs along the many candle holders, dishes, cutlery and wooden cups disposed so everyone had their own, he felt he didn't belong there. It just wasn't in him to give feasts to Kings and Queen and all their parlour, all the responsibility, all of it wasn't as obnoxious as it should be because he was raised in there since he was an infant, otherwise he couldn't just stand that.

Jon couldn't understand why his father wanted him to stay in Winterfell for much longer, he wasn't fit to be in there, he wasn't his legitimate son, his heir, he wouldn't have lands of his own ever and he wouldn't have peace until he left the Starks Castle. Yet, he had nowhere else to go but the Wall - the place of bastards, rapists and thieves - and his uncle was in there, as a Ranger, working to protect the Seven Kingdoms and Jon just wanted to be useful, to have a purpose in his life - he would have none if he'd stay there. What could he possibly be once his Lord father was gone?

Lady Catelyn would mostly certainly ask him to leave and follow with his life, if Robb wouldn't tell him to stay and be his master-at-arms only after Sir Rodrik Cassel's death - how old would Jon be when his life really mattered? Thirty? Forty? He just didn't have the patience to wait that long. Besides all of that, there was the fact he didn't want to father another bastard or marry at all, what would he give to his wife and children? A whole life depending on Robb's great and king heart until he was gone, and where would his family go after that?

The Winter is coming and all he could think of that was Jon had no stability if he stood in Winterfell.

His mind would wonder at a certain dragon lady who was raised with him when he had those kinds of thoughts. Her beautiful delicate face of pale peach skin and rounded jaw, of plump red lips and big violet orbs, her eyes filled with curved slashes and her dark eyebrows contrasting the platinum in her wavy locks falling over her shoulders; how beautiful her smile was or how her cheeks would flush when he said the right things in the right time, how she could be so spirited and gentle at the same time, her wryly eyes when they were about to do something wrong, the way she laughed and how she got along so well with everyone in Winterfell - even Theon; the way she gazed at him, the very gaze she would give nobody else, not even his brother Robb, and the way she made his chest drum. Then, he would feel his heart sinking in repentance for ponding about leaving Daenerys and never be with her again.

Jon couldn't really say when he fell in love with the Valyrian beauty, he really didn't know if it was ever scheduled to happen, but happened. Jon was in love with everything about the former princess and he felt so stupid for being like this, to delude himself and Dany - they couldn't ever be together. She was a princess, she's a lady without lands, but she's a woman and beautiful, talented, very clever and so gentle, any lord would accept having her as his betrothed or would've asked her hand to his Lord Father - what could he offer her? She deserved the world, not a life under the costs of other people. And Lord Eddard wouldn't allow them to marry, there was just no sense at all in marrying his bastard to his ward.

Another moment that made him feel so sad, because, even when it was about betrothing somebody, Jon couldn't say anything. He was just his father's bastard, no one else.

"What are you doing here?" said Maester Luwin startling the bastard for a moment, making him chuckle gawky "Looking very fancy, Jon." the intellectual asked the young man who shrugged, putting the rest of the leg down on a plate so he could speak properly to the ancient maester.

"Thank you, Maester Luwin. I'm just waiting for the feast to begin." the maester nodded, his chains seemed very heavy around his neck and over his elder shoulders. His eyebrows were uplifted, more of pity than reproval, and Jon knew what meant when he had that face on his countenance. The young man lost his appetite and wiped his hands, the disappointment all over his face "It was too good to be truth."

"I'm so sorry, Jon. Lady Stark thinks your presence would upset the Queen." Jon nodded, biting his inner cheeks and lowering his head so the Maester Luwin wouldn't look at his bittered and angry eyes just about to share a tear "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Maester. I'll put myself in my place now. Good night."

And Jon made his lonely way towards the courtyard, where a bastard of Winterfell belonged.

…

His hot tears streamed down his scowling face, his hair falling all over as he pushed his body forward while hitting the dummy man of straw, made for practicing, with his iron sword, cutting and smashing the fake man, pouring out his anger and outrage. He couldn't believe how foolish he had been to really believe in Theon's words of getting ready to meet the royal family. He was the most stupid man he ever knew by that. Lady Catelyn did it this time, she hurt him again.

He could feel his body tremble and lifted his sword arm to wipe his tears away, the temperature lowering as the time passed by and he was on his own, listening to the low music from the Great Hall, the laughters and the conversation filling his ears with greater sadness.

Doesn't she get it? I want to leave as much as she wants me to stay away! Jon thought to himself as he stabbed the straw man again and again, grunting in anger.

He was so deep in his thoughts he didn't even listen to the galloping behind him and, then, the hoarse voice of a man.

"Is he dead yet?" Jon frowned and turned around, meeting his uncle Benjen from the Night's Watch getting off his horse and making his way towards his bastard nephew. There was a smile on Jon's sad face, making him forget for an instance about all the problem he already have.

"Uncle Benjen!" he wore a black mantle over his dark suit, long dark locks and grey eyes, face of a Stark and he looked very much like his father. He was just a bit taller and bigger, but still his father's younger brother.

"Oh, you got bigger!" the man told his nephew, hugging him and smirking proudly to Jon, looking glad into his deep grey irises "Rode all day! Didn't want to leave you alone with the Lannisters." he glared back at Jon and where he found his bastard nephew, looking around for awhile before back at his face "Why aren't you at the feast?"

Jon shrugged and his face went blank again "Lady Stark thought it might insult the royal family to sit the bastard in the midst." the man nodded, tapping Jon's shoulder and comforting him.

"Well, you're always welcome on the Wall. No bastard was ever refused to sit there." Benjen had his hands on his belt, seeing that Jon's eyes were now glowing with the possibility to leave.

"So take me with you when you go back!"

"Jon…"

"Father will let me if you ask him! I know he will!" There was determination in his darg grey orbs and Benjen's face became serious.

"The wall isn't going anywhere." a calm countenance forming over his long face.

"I'm ready to swear your oath." Jon insisted once more.

"You don't understand what you'd be giving up. We have no families…" Jon was already rolling his eyes as Benjen continued speaking "None of us will ever father sons!"

"I don't care about that!"

Benjen smiled larger, looking farther behind Jon as his eyes glanced at him once more "You might… If you know what it meant." he tapped his shoulder again and the younger man was felt countered "I better get inside, rescue your father from his guests." and he stepped backwards, going away "We'll talk later."

He left, then, forcing Jon his way back to stab the straw dummy and pouring out his anger to his situation again.

"There you are!" he heard a keen and sweet voice coming north of him and he lifted his orbs to see who was coming.

Daenerys made her way towards him, her beautiful silhouette in the lavender dress trimmed in silver flower garments up and down, long sleeves and cream boots. She wore her fur cloak over it all and her silver blonde hair was cascading down her shoulders and back, a braid coming from her bangs to the back of her head. Her face was coloured with bright red over her plump lips, her cheeks and nose were deep pink due the cold weather and her violet orbs were much more deeper than they were by afternoon - in Jon's opinion, her eyes got even brighter with the nightfall, just like a dragon's fire in the dark, enlightening what was around it.

She was stunning and Jon did feel his mouth open for a while as she approached him, her hands were folded over her lap and her steps were soft in the mud. This time Lady Catelyn really put her efforts in Daenerys to make her look the most beautiful being in the North - he wasn't sure why she'd done it, since the Queen didn't really seem to like Dany, but she surpassed all of it. Maybe his Lord father had asked this of her, he had no idea, but

"I was looking for you everywhere!" she said, looking at his face and biting her lips, her eyes full of compassion "I didn't know she would sent you away from the feast."

Jon smiled at Dany, waving a hand and looking at her "Don't mind about that. You look beautiful, Daenerys." but there was a frown in her valyrian face and the bastard couldn't help but think how adorable she was "What now?"

"She made you leave me alone with those people…" she muttered, folding her arms and glancing in his deep eyes "You were supposed to sit with me while Robb entered with Myrcella and the others were sitting with the royal family!"

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." he apologized and Dany pondered, making a face before smiling and throwing herself in his arms, to hug him.

"You're forgiven, Jon Snow." he chuckled, feeling her scent penetrating her nose and she was laughing again, smiling brightly at him and he could see how anxious she was to speak about what happened. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened, she continued speaking "Queen Cersei wanted to talk to me while the King danced and squeezed the waitress big butt!" Jon laughed overwhelmed with Dany's words and she nodded, she trying to control her face before giggling.

"This is a scene I'd like to see." she slapped him on his arm and he signed for her to continue.

"She asked for me and Sansa to go in there and she was very inconvenient." Daenerys eyes averted Jon's for a moment as she remembered what she went through and he arched an eyebrow. She continued "After talking about seaming dresses, she asked both of us if we were already grown woman, if you understand me." he nodded, his cheeks flushing for the thought and Dany continued "Sansa almost cried in front of her and the Queen asked for her to leave, making me stay."

"That's a first." Jon commented glancing curiously at her and Dany agreed.

"Then she started a conversation of betrothed and if I already had any. I denied, I have none that I'm aware of." Jon made a face for that "And she wondered about marrying me to Joffrey." Jon widened his orbs, his brows furrowed and Dany made a disgusted face.

"Sansa's going to die when she hears this."

"Lady Stark said Lord Eddard had plans for me already, making more alliances to the King and she dropped the subject." there was a breath the bastard let out he had no idea he was holding "I almost told her myself that was a honor I could live without."

They laughed for some moments and they hugged each other again, his head over her head and her arms embracing him like he was about to go away.

"I'd die if you were to betroth him." he admitted and he could feel his face burning to his ears.

"So would I." she pulled away and gazed into his hard grey orbs, leaning her forehead into his.

"I mean…" he cleaned his throat while gazing into those orbs of her, so bold they didn't dare to look away of his dark irises "I'd die if you betroth anyone." she nodded, licking her lips.

"I get it, Jon." she whispered and he fancied her some more.

She was so damn close and he was so afraid of doing something, something he wouldn't be able to satisfy her, to make her suffer more than she already has suffered her entire life. She was the most precious thing he had in his life, yet, he just couldn't elude her with the possibility of them being together, to take her virtues away and dishonoring her. She already had to pay for her family's sin, she didn't have to pay for his also.

But she's so damn close…

"Just kiss already." a wry voice came from their side and both threw their bodies back, both flushed and panting in startle. They turned to meet the man, or half of a man, holding a cup of wine in one hand and leaning on the horses' fence.

He was very short, an Imp, some would say, with small arms and legs, wearing ruddy leather garments and not prepared for the cold out there. He looked more like a shadow where he stood, but he walked towards the ward and the bastard soon after his comment and he had a very unpleasant face.

"Did I ruin the moment? Sorry. I'm just indignant that you haven't kissed yet." he came into the torch's light and there was the golden hair, one eye of green and the other of brow orb, his face a bit deformed compared to a normal person.

"What are you doing back there?" Jon asked, furrowing his eyebrows as Dany straightened her posture, getting used to the dwarf's appearance - she wasn't disgusted or anything, she just never seen someone like him before.

"Preparing for a night with your family." he sipped from the cup in his hands and glared at them both "I've always wanted to see the wall." and he stared deeply in Jon's face, Daenerys glaring at him also, her face was wary.

"You're Tyrion Lannister, the Queen's brother." Jon added and Daenerys bowed slightly at him, he bowed to her also.

"My greatest accomplishment." he suppressed a smirk and looked at Jon "And you, you're Ned Stark's bastard and you're Ned Stark's ward." he told them both, very glad with their reaction to him.

Jon turned around to go back to his dummy, annoyed with the dwarf's bleakness to talk, and Dany stood in there, gazing into the weird little man.

"He has a name, you know?" the Targaryen spoke making Tyrion look to her, running his eyes up and down her body "He's Jon Snow."

"A bastard's name." the Imp added, being completely obvious and pissing him off more and more "And you're Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen." he turned to her, making her cheek blush once more "A princess' name." he smirked widely to the younger man and woman "That does sound like a star-crossed lovers' story, though."

"Why are you so bitter with your words?" she wondered, trying to understand this little man's anger.

"The world isn't exactly a wonderful place for people like me." he sipped once more and pointed at them both "All of us, for the matter." he was chuckling to himself now, sarcasm all over in his small silhouette "I thought you'd be a bitter young woman at your age, but you're very much like a little pup towards these people."

Daenerys arched one of her eyebrows, shrugging her shoulder and looking bleaky at the dwarf "I had to survive somehow, I was raised with love and the best I could ever dream of. I have no reason to be bitter at them." she replied and Tyrion agreed, glancing at Jon.

"Some of us aren't that lucky, am I right, Jon Snow?" he approached Jon, then, his short, crooked legs never meeting while he stepped to the young man "Never forget what you are. The rest all of the world will not. Wear it like an armour and it can never be used to hurt you." and he turned away to leave, making Jon irritated.

"And what the hell do you know about being a bastard?!" Jon questioned, his face in a scowl.

Tyrion barely turned around to answer the bastard, opening his arms as he passed by Dany and bowing goodbye "All dwarves are bastards in their father's' eyes." he gazed at Daenerys "Goodbye, princess."

Jon and Dany stared at each other for a moment, very curious about what just happened.

"Are you alright?" the young woman asked walking towards Jon, seeing as he hesitated biting his lower lip "Don't pay attention to what he said. He doesn't know you enough to assume those things…"

"Well, he was right about the bastard." Jon replied, putting his sword again and not really looking in Daenerys' eyes.

"Oh, Jon, you're very loved, alright?" Jon stopped what he was doing, a incredulous glimpse over his countenance, making the blonde girl look for other words to believe in her "Your father loves you, your brothers and sisters!"

"Yeah, well, it doesn't mean much, Dany." he replied, sadness all over his eyes "I'm a nuisance to them all, because they don't know what to do with me!" Dany took a step back as he got angrier and angrier, leaning forward and gesticulating. Her eyes were fierce, but her face was faltering "I'm always leaving under this endless doubt of what will become of me if something happens and it always changes!" He turned his back to her, running a hand through his hair and Dany was feeling the fire of her family rising inside of her.

"I understand how you feel, Jon, I do!" he laughed bitterly and Dany was insulted with his taunt "It's just the same thing for me, but there is no family bond at all!" Jon's eyes were on her again as she used her hands to speak, he held his thoughts while she said very spirited "They may care about me and love me, but I'm just a ward after all! Someday, they'll find a better place for me and I'll be gone forever. You're Lord Eddard's son! He wants you to stay!" she was very infuriated.

"And what do I want, Dany? Where am I in all of this?" she gasped her nostrils, Jon was yelling at her right now and she wasn't liking any of that - she hated when they fought "I'm not waiting for my fate to get to me, waiting for somebody else to decide what will become of me!" he said determinated.

"That's why you want to go to the Wall?" she demanded standing up to him.

"Yes! That's why I want to leave the sooner I can!" he admitted, his voice lowering as he saw Dany's face going from infuriated to disappointed, her eyes saddening "You're the only reason for me to stay, but you won't ever be mine because you're meant for somebody else, again!" she swallowed and he continued, his head low "I don't want them to decide my life anymore, Daenerys."

She sneered wryly, taking a step backwards and glancing at him, her dark eyebrows furrowed as she managed some words "Then, Jon Snow, don't let me be in your only way of freedom." and she turned around to leave, holding her tears back the best she could because she was too proud right now to cry in front of him.

"Dany, wait." she heard his soft voice calling her, but she was too hurt and sad to go back and forgive him right now "Daenerys!" she kept walking and he grunted, punching the dummy behind him with all his strength.

There you go, Jon Snow… Hurting the person you love the most! You're a bastard, indeed.

…

He was hesitant to knock in her door, he just had no idea of what to tell her to make her forgive him. He could feel the warmth from her room, the hottest in the entire Keep, the candle lights through the cracks of the great wooden door. He could feel his throat closing as he thought of apologizing to her for something he was upset about - he just took it out on her because he was very annoyed with Lady Catelyn and the fact he couldn't be at the feast, his uncle Benjen showing up and telling him to wait before assuming the Night's Watch oath, that odd dwarf coming out of the blue as he tried to have a moment with her.

He was wrong this time, he knew, but he wasn't sure if he really should apologize to her. She would forgive him, of course, but what would happen later? She'd have to leave once his father authorized her wedding somebody else and, then, he'd be destroyed once more because he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't have her to himself like he's always wanted, dreamed of.

And, yet, he couldn't think of a day in which Daenerys wouldn't speak with him because she was mad at him. She'd just come and tell him she forgave him for being stupid, for saying nonsense things and that she'd kick his arse if he ever did that again. Jon knew she hated fighting with him as much as he did, even Ned would say that a fight between Dany and Jon was a dangerous battle between smoldering fire and dark ice - it didn't happen much, however, when it did, people would speak of it for days wondering if the both of them would ever talk to each other again.

He finally knocked on the door, listening her steps towards the entrance. He felt his breath stucking in his throat as she slid the heavy door open, her eyes were red and her face was frowning. She was already in her nightgown of light colours.

"Can I come in?" her violet orbs went down and up his body, until they met his dark irises again. She arched one of her brows "I come in peace." he said raising both his hands and she shrugged, turning around and sitting on her bed.

He was the one to close the heavy door and bear the very intolerable being Daenerys could be when she was annoyed. Her eyes were sharp as she glared at him from her bed and Jon rathered to stay a safe distance from the dragon lady "What do you want, Jon Snow?"

"I came to apologize." the dark haired young man admitted, his head low and his eyes on hers. He swallowed hard because she didn't flinch at his apologizing. He'd have to do better than this "I was pissed off with Lady Stark and I took it out on you when you did nothing to me." she moved her mouth and narrowed her sharp eyes to him. He sighed and continued his speech "I'm sorry, Daenerys, for being a bastard to you." he said bowing his head, waiting for her to say something, anything to make his heart stop sinking.

She turned her head to the side, her face dull and unyielding. Jon could feel the heat climbing to his head, boiling his insides slowly as she continued with the cold treatment he admitted he deserved for being a fucker, but he already apologized heartily to her. She had just to punch him in his stomach and carry on with their lives.

"Oh, come on, Dany!" he said afflicted and she arched an eyebrow. He approached her, kneeling by her bed as she kept looking to the side "I'm sorry for yelling at you, for feeling sorry for myself, for not really thinking if it would hurt you at all thinking of the Wall!" he insisted and she let her eyes roll to his face, hers still facing the other side "I have feelings too, you know? Sometimes I just can't help remembering that I'll have to go somewhere after you leave. I have to think of myself, also."

She turned to him, her eyes narrowing at him and her nostrils gaping. He could see where this was going and he rolled his dark grey orbs, sitting next to her "Alright, you do have to think of yourself, I get it! You also have to declare and retreat from your declaration at the same time? You're so very confusing, Jon!" she folded her arms over her chest and he breathed deeply before answering her. He opened his mouth to reply, but she interrupted "Then you say you'll go to the Wall and leave me, because you can't bear the fact I'll have to marry somebody else." she was gesticulating, her face was frowning and her eyebrows were furrowed "Can't you see it's not only about you when you say those things out loud? It's not only about you anymore!"

"Then, what do you want to do about this?" she stopped, his voice a bit higher "It's not only about me, alright. About us, then. Fine. What to do? Give me a solution." she huffed, glaring to the side. He laughed bitterly "See? You have no idea! I have no idea!" he cupped her arms and she gazed back at him, wary eyes as he soothed her "Dany, you deserve more than I could ever give to you." she was about to say something, but he put one of his hands in her mouth "I want you so bad, but I want you to have more than a bastard name and bastard children, no lands, no honorable position, no dignity."

"Jon, I don't care about these things." she touched his face and he wasn't expecting for this, because he was still speaking.

"I do, Dany, I d-" his dark eyes widened as he felt the plump lips pushing against his and Daenerys was there, kissing him fiercely and pushing her body to his.

Jon felt his entire body go numb, from head to toes. He couldn't move. He was in a state of shock. She kissed him and he was so very worried in trying to convince her of not doing anything, that he wouldn't do anything to her because she deserved better and all those things…

She stopped, her face softer and a small smile curling in the corners of her mouth as he couldn't breath "Stop talking, Jon. I understand what you're saying, but I can't care enough." she replied to him, pulling a strand of platinum hair behind her ear "The only thing I can think of as you keep on talking is how much I want to kiss you right now." she laughed as he was turning purple "Breath, Jon." and he did as she commanded, feeling his lungs filling with air.

Now he was just flushed because she was so straight to the point. She was, indeed, the smoldering fire herself.

"But I-"

"Shut up, Jon Snow. Just kiss me." and he obeyed Daenerys because she was a very convincing young lady and he just didn't care about the other things anymore.

…

"Have you seen a green bird, Jon?" Robb asked as Jon passed through him after the breakfast, walking towards the stable. Jon barely noticed he spoke to him because he was very deep in his memories of the last night "JON SNOW!" and now Jon had listened to his older half brother who had his pup direwolf along, waving his tail quickly.

"G' morning, Robb." Jon said a glad tone of voice. Robb arched an eyebrow.

Some days had passed after the feast and things were alright, despite the royal family was still in Winterfell and bothering the entire Stark family, things were alright. Everyone was doing their chores, Lady Catelyn was too worried about impressing the Queen and the King with her great management of the castle and as a lady, Sansa was courted by Prince Joffrey almost every time, when he wasn't busy trying to get to Daenerys - who always managed to literally run away from him before he could think twice. Arya was training her direwolf Nymeria all the time, so she wasn't spending her time picking on Jon's delay of trying to get a kiss from Dany - they had agreed in keeping it a secret because it could become a very serious problem if the wrong people were to know it; Rickon was being Rickon, following his mother or Maester Luwin around all the time while Bran did his dangerous tower climbing.

He and Dany would meet secretly almost every nightfall at the Godswood, very hidden from everybody, and making out behind the normal trees. It was fun, but very dangerous. It would mostly make his stomach flip when he was making his way there. He even delayed his conversation of the Wall with his dear uncle Benjen because he had other things to think about that time. He knew they were deluding themselves, he just couldn't help it nor could she. They were drawn to each other like nothing else could ever be.

He noticed that Robb was still claiming his attention.

"Why aren't you brooding?" Jon chuckled to his brother who seemed intrigued with the bastard's good humour "What? Do I look like a clown?"

"All the time." Jon jested and Robb punched him slightly on the arm "I'm just feeling alright today, that's all." he shrugged and lord Robb frowned to that.

"I'm not buying it." Jon made a face and mumbled something about he not being able to do anything about that. Robb's blue eyes knew something was wrong because Jon was too sappy for his usual unyielding self and he grabbed the younger brother by his shoulder "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to…" he was about to answer, but Robb was already dragging him along to the cellar.

"Not anymore. We're saying goodbye to father, because he's going out hunting with the King, and, then, we'll talk to Theon and guess what happened to Jon Snow?" Jon chuckled loudly.

"This is me!"

"Give me my brother back!" and they laughed until they found the court of the King and his guards to prepare for the hunting trip.


End file.
